Simply turning on the front porch light to signal a welcome to trick-or-treaters isn’t enough these days. Make the haunted holiday memorable for children in your neighborhood this year by incorporating these festive details and activities into your trick-or-treat-hosting.

Fun decorations

Yard and house decor set the tone for visitors on Halloween night, and there are many ways you can decorate your yard. NBC 26 News contributor Sam Ashe-Edmunds suggests setting up a fake graveyard on the front lawn or driveway. Tombstones, cobwebs, lit pumpkins and other spooky items will make a fun obstacle course for trick-or-treaters to climb over.

Special lighting and effects

Make sure that Halloween guests feel safe and welcome in your yard by hanging string lights from shepherds’ hooks or lining your driveway with tiki torches. A fog machine is another spine-tingling detail to enhance the nail-biting aura of the night that Chicago Tribune contributor Leslie Mann recommends.

A haunted trick

You can greet the local goblins and ghouls with a special holiday-themed trick: the risen corpse shtick. Ashe-Edmunds explains how to do this. Find two 5- or 6-foot-long poles, place shoes on the end and then drape a blanket over the poles. Have a family member or friend get under the blanket with their head sticking out of the blanket. Then, have the person slowly stand to imitate a resurrected corpse.

Added thrills

Here’s an oldie but a goodie: You can hide in a large crate or coffin near the front door, then hop out when kids arrive. One variation on this idea is to hide under a table and stick your head through a hole you cut out in a tablecloth or piece of fabric. Moan or shout in a scary way when trick-or-treaters pass by you.

Scares from above

If you live in a two-story house, Ashe-Edmunds has a fun idea. Have someone stationed on the second floor near a window that overlooks the front steps to drop small plastic spiders or bats on the guests below. Or, have them lower a giant spider or zombie via a string and dangle it in front of the group below.

Unique games and goodies

Set up festive games on your front yard for trick-or-treaters to play. Have a ring toss with glow-stick bracelets on lollipop posts, as Pamela McMurtry of Kaysville suggests. You can also provide unconventional treats to hand to visitors, besides store-bought candy. The Woman’s Day staff recommends pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispies treats, monster cookies with candy googly eyes and candy-covered apples.

Driveway hangout

PopSugar contributor Katharine Stahl suggests setting up a portable table and some chairs outside and serving food and drink to treat-or-treaters and their parents. Enlist the help of a few neighbors to pull of this fun party. Finger foods like popcorn and hot dogs, as well as slow cookers filled with hot chocolate, are a great place to start. She also suggests having a warm beverage for adults such as spiked apple cider.

Creating an engaging experience for trick-or-treaters and their parents is simple with a little preparation. Try a few of these suggestions to help make your house the best one on your block this Halloween.